Abstract
Introduction: Uncorrected Refractive Errors (URE) are a primary cause of vision impairment worldwide and a leading contributor to blindness. These errors impact daily productivity, limit job opportunities and can significantly diminish quality of life, increasing both morbidity and financial burdens. Consequently, understanding the prevalence and types of UREs is essential for primary care physicians, ophthalmologists and policymakers. Aim: To assess the pattern and magnitude of UREs among patients at a tertiary care hospital in South Assam, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Silchar Medical College and Hospital, Silchar, Assam, India from May 2023 to April 2024, which included patients aged five years and older visiting the ophthalmology department. Patients with visual acuity worse than 6/6, which improved with pinhole testing, were further evaluated. Each participant underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination, including refraction testing. Data on uncorrected and corrected visual acuity, age, and sex were gathered. Spherical equivalents were used for refractive error analysis. The difference between categorical variables was estimated using the Chi-square test. Results: Of the 11,932 participants screened, 6,112 were males (51.22%) and 5,820 were females (48.78%), aged 5-89 years. UREs were identified in 1,434 individuals (12%), with a median age of 41 years. In the URE group, 718 (50.1%) were females and 716 (49.9%) were males. The mean age of males was 39.51±18.16 years, and that of females was 38.44±19.12 years. The mean refractive error was -0.58±3.11 DS. Emmetropia was present in 469 (32.7%), myopia in 427 (29.8%), high myopia in 38 (2.7%), and hypermetropia in 500 (34.9%). A total of 264 (18.4%) patients had astigmatism greater than 0.5. Anisometropia greater than 1.0 was present in 67 (4.7%). The proportion of different refractive errors was similar in males and females. Conclusion: This study offers key insights into the magnitude and types of UREs in South Assam, India. The proportion of UREs was found to be 12%, with hypermetropia being the most common refractive error, followed by myopia. These findings underscore the need for targeted intervention programmes to improve access to corrective lenses and address vision impairment among these communities.
Published Version
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